Free
Corky
Corky is a 30 year-old orca ("Killer" whale),
who performs (along with 5 other orcas) under the stage name "Shamu"
at Sea World.
When Corky was very young, just 4 or 5 years old, she
was swimming with her family near Vancouver Island, Canada. Corky and her
mother were both captured (along with other members of the "A5 Pod"
family). Her mother managed to escape. Corky was trapped. Of the 13 members
of the A5 orca family that were captured in 1968 and 1969 -- only two are
alive today -- and Corky is one of them!
Orcas in the wild can live to be 70 years (like humans).
At 30, Corky is still a young adult. Corky has been pregnant 7 times for
a total of 10 years -- none of her offspring has survived!
When Corky isn't performing stunts she is usually swimming
in circles in a pool
no bigger than a football field. Orcas in the
wild are free-roaming creatures of the sea that will travel up to ninety
miles in one day. The most important aspects of their life seem to be the
world of sound, their family and social activities, and the hunt for food.
To be confined to a swimming pool and be fed dead fish is to deny them
the richness of their ocean habitat, the daily contact with numerous other
orca, and the vocal communication that makes them so intriguing.
Corky was taken from her natural surroundings, her mother,
and her family at the age of four from Pender Harbor, B.C. This December
11 will mark her twenty-fifth year of slavery. We feel that she should
be reunited with her mother and family, the A5 pd, as they still make their
annual trip to the same B.C. waters every summer. Although her health has
deteriorated while being held in her undersized tank we feel that she would
have a long life ahead of her in the wild. There has been a plan established
to rehabilitate and retrain Corky for her return to the wild at Freshwater
Bay, B.C.
CORKY'S CHRONOLOGY
Born: 1964 Family: Corky is a member of the A5 pod
of the Northern Resident Community of British Columbia orca. Her pod is
composed of her immediate and extended family, all of which share the same
dialect. The A5 pod was captured twice, once in 1968 and once in 1969.
Prior to these captures there were 19 or 20 members of the pod. Today there
are only 13 but the numbers are increasing, for example, Corky's mother,
A23, gave birth to a new calf (A60) in the spring of 1992. The A5 pod still
comes to Johnstone Strait area of Northern Vancouver Island every summer.
Captures: Both captures were near Pender Harbour on the Sunshine Coast,
about 50 miles north of Vancouver, British Columbia.
1968: On April 26, 1968 seven members were netted: Skokum
Cecil, escaped, never seen again. Natsidalia, died in capture pen. Hyak
(Tung Jen)--taken to Vancouver Aquarium. Died, 1991. Corky I--taken to
Marineland of the Pacific, Palos Verdes, Ca. Died 1970 Orky II--taken to
Marineland, then Sea World, Ca. Died, 1988. Kianu--taken to Japan, then
to Marine World, Ca. Died 1980. Bonnie--taken to Marine World, CA. Died
in 1968 after giving birth to a still born calf.
1969: On Dec 11, 1969, six members were taken: CORKY
II--taken to Marineland, Ca, then to Sea World, San Diego. She remains
captive there. Calypso--taken to France, then to England. Died, 1970. Patches--taken
to Marineland, Ca. Died, 1971 Unamed Male--taken to Marineland, Ca. Died,
1972. Nepo--taken to Marine World, Ca. Died 1980. Yaka--taken to Marine
World, Ca. She remains captive there.
1977: Feb. 28 Corky gives birth to a live male calf.
This is the first live orca birth in captivity. Corky fails to nurse calf
and calf dies of pneumonia after 16 days.
1978: Oct. 31, Corky gives birth to another male calf
who survives for 11 days and dies of pneumonia and colitus.
1980: April 1, Corky delivers a stillborn foetus, eight
weeks premature.
1982: June 18, Corky gives birth to a live female calf.
Again she fails to nurse. Orky and Corky, after 46 days, take the calf
to the bottom of the pool and drown her.
1985. Jull 22, Corky delivers a female calf who lives
for a month. Again she fails to nurse.
1986: July 27, an aborted fetus is found at the bottom
of the pool.
1987: Corky's companion Orky is involved in an accident
which causes serious injury to his trainer. Due to negative reaction a
huge shake-up in the Sea World organization occurs. Trainers were taken
out of the water, the shows were toned down and several executives were
fired. Crowd reaction to the new shows was negative and the flashiness
of the previous shows eventually returned.
1988: Sept, Orky dies. Prior to his death he lost 4,000
pounds.
1989: August. During a show Kandu V attacks Corky. Kandu's
jaw is fractured and she bleeds to death. Corky suffers only a few scratches
and becomes the surrogate mom to Kandu's calf.
*Anheuser-Busch purchased Sea World from Harcourt, Brace,
Jovanovich. *After 1989 Corky's health begins to decline. Her kidney function
has become impared, she has stopped ovulating, and her teeth have become
noticeably worn down. Sea World reduced Corky's performance load.
1990: July, Dr. Paul Spong presents a plan for the rehabilitation
and return of Corky to her native B.C. waters.
1993: July, ABC Prime Time Live plays a recording of
A5 vocalizations for Corky at Sea World. Corky reacts very strongly.
1994: Corky's health shows improvement. Sea World returns
her work schedule to a full performance load.
This information provided by Douglas Israeal, University
Coordinator, The Corky Project. Contacts:
The Corky Project 480 Riverdale Ave Yonkers, NY 10705
Fax:(604)266-1120 (U of Guelph) Animal Liberation Collective 2nd Floor,
U.C. University of Guelph Guelph, Ont. Canada
